Stubborn Grudges
by AJRennerTMNT76
Summary: Years after the incident, the lair hasn't seen turtles in years. When Master Splinter starts saying things about meeting his end, he scares the shell out of April. Realizing that his time may be running short, she decides to try and bring them home but they're spread across the globe. Is what Master Splinter saying about his death correct? And will she bring them back in time?


**Hope you like this story. The first one's a little short and I decided to post it to see what you guys think about it (just wondering if it's worth finishing...). Based on the 2k3 TMNT by the way.**

**I DO NOT OWN TMNT**

**Enjoy!**

It had been a long time. Almost too long. Master Splinter wouldn't have wanted it this way. Lucky for him, he wasn't around that day to see our dishonour which we brought upon the family. That night…that night was almost ten years ago. The night the family split. The night we forgot our purpose in life: to live in the shadows. No. That wasn't our purpose. It was to remain a family. Yes. That was it. We had forgotten that promise we made. It was a promise you make when you are born. A broken promise can never be glued back together.

The rain was falling heavily. I trudged through the evening New York streets with the collar of my trench coat pulled up high. My hands were in my pockets and a hat was pulled down, low over my face. Shades covered my eyes. This was my definition of blending in. I couldn't be seen or spoken to. I turned a corner into an abandoned alley way which I called home. Checking over my shoulder to see if I had any tails, I pulled the sewer lid open and jumped in.

When the guys left, I stayed alone in the lair with Master Splinter. Everything was the same. I had been to afraid to touch anything. The video games were still strewn carelessly across the floor, the laboratory equipment still left unstacked on the work bench. The sai and katana still sticking out of the practice dummy.

_"Well, that was the smartest thing to do, Leo! You ruined our twentieth!"_

_"What did I do? You were the one who started making the wrong decisions!"_

_"Like what?"_

_"Making the music too loud! The whole city could hear us!"_

_"And that's my fault for wanting to have some fun on our day?"_

_"Guys, please…"_

_"Don't touch me, Mikey!"_

_Boom._

_"Leo, don't take this out on your brothers! Both of you calm down! You could have hurt Mikey!"_

_"Ow…"_

_"Donnie! Watch out!"_

_Smash._

_"Arrrrgghhh!"_

_"This is your fault!"_

_"It's your fault, oh great and wise leader!"_

_"Stop it! Leonardo! Raphael! Stop taking this out on Michelangelo and Donatello! Listen to me! Listen to me and stop taking this out on your FAMILY. OUR FAMILY."_

_Smash._

_"STOP IT!"_

_"Stay out of this too, April!"_

_Bang._

I pressed my hands against the sides of my head. The vision was too vivid. It happened too soon. Too soon and much too quickly. I pushed aside the curtain which cloaked the lair entrance. Master Splinter was sitting in front of the TV, watching the news, waiting for me.

"Evening, Master Splinter." I greeted.

"Good evening, April. Where is Casey?"

"He's taking care of the kids, Master: little Alfred and little May. How are things, sensei?" I asked as I poured a cup of freshly brewed green tea.

I was trying hard to be strong and cheery for him. The past few days, Master Splinter hadn't been so well. He didn't really move around the house any more but he continuously meditated. His health wasn't at its best. And what he spoke of…it scared me. He kept talking about his end and never seeing his sons again. I had to be strong. For him. For them.

"Bad." he murmured.

I sighed. He always said that every time I asked. He couldn't get his mind off the guys. I handed him the cup of tea and he held it in his weary hands. He stared blankly at the TV screen as the ads came on. I followed his gaze and thought for a few moments. I couldn't continue living like this. Grieving and wondering if the guys would ever come back.

It had been too long.

I threw off my trench coat and pulled off my hat and Master Splinter called from the TV, "What's for dinner, April?"

I opened the cupboard and found instant ramen in a plastic packet, "Ramen, sensei."

"Again?"

Throwing one of Mikey's many pans onto the stove, I began to boil water. I tipped the dried noodles into the bubbling water and stirred it with a chunk of one of Donnie's broken bo staffs. Using Leo's katana, I sliced up some ingredients. I skewered them with Raph's sai and plopped it into the pan. I brought the ramen to Master Splinter and he nodded gratefully. I didn't eat.

He sipped his soup, "What are you thinking of, April?"

"Nothing, sensei." I lied.

Master Splinter cleared his throat, "Find them."

"Sorry, sensei?" I asked.

"I know you want them home. I know you miss them. Find them."

"But, sensei - "

"Follow the shinobi code. As Leonardo would say, 'A shinobi never questions an order'."

That sent a pang of emotions through me as I remembered my youth. I managed to say two words, "Hai, sensei."

"Leave tomorrow."

"Hai, sensei. Goodnight, sensei."

I walked into my room which I had been spending most of life staying in. There were still posters of Space Heroes on the walls which Leo insisted that I stuck up. The night went quickly, reminding me how fast life was slipping through my fingers. How much faster Master Splinter's life was slipping through his fingers. I shot upright in bed. Four in the morning. I was an hour behind my daily schedule. I walked into Master Splinter's room and waited for him to open his eyes.

"What is it, April?" he asked.

"I just came to say farewell. I will back as soon as I can with the guys. Your sons."

Master Splinter closed his eyes and heaved a sigh of relief, "We will be a family once more, before fate decides to relieve me."

I bit my lip and walked backwards out of his room. I pulled a trench coat over my shoulders and shoved a hat onto my head. There was a lump in the trench coat's pocket and I slipped my hand inside. It was one of the guy's shell cells. Unwilling to let another pang of emotions run through me on the same day, I plugged it into my laptop. Donnie had told me about the tracking devices and I didn't forget that easily. Four dots appeared on the screen and I smile crept onto my face.

"Bingo."

**Please review because I am suffering from a massive writer's block and I really want to finish this story. Please write what you think Chapter 2 should be about so I can update as soon as this stupid writer's block decides to bug someone else. No offence...**

**Peace out.**

**~AJRennerTMNT76~**


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